2014 Bosnia and Herzegovina Season
Year Preview Team Overview Rankings and Objectives The Bosnia and Herzegovina team starts the season ranked at #6. Branislav Mikulic returns as their manager for the fifth season, having taken control of the team in July 2010. The objective is to be competitive in the Brazil 2014 FIFA World Cup and also in the UEFA Euro Qualifiers. Team Evaluation Key Players Asmir Begovic who plays for Newcastle in the English Premier League is a 26 year-old goalkeeper, who has 33 caps for the National Team. Muhamed Besic, who plays for Real Madrid in the Spanish "La Liga", is a 21 year-old center back, who has 21 caps for the National Team. Miralem Pjanic who plays for Valencia in the Spanish La Liga, is a 24 year-old attacking midfielder, who currently has 44caps and 13 goals for the National Team. Edin Dzeko. who plays for Manchester City in the English Premier League, is a 27 year-old a striker, who has 59 caps and 51 goals for the National Team. Future Stars Marin Anicic, who plays for Tours FC in the French Ligue 1, is a 24 year-old defensive midfielder, who has 2 caps for the National Team. Benjamin Colic, who plays for Stade Rennais FC in the French Ligue 1, is a 22 year-old right back, who has 5 caps for the National Team. Toni Markic, who plays for Havre AC in the French Ligue 1, is a 23 year-old center back, who has 2 caps for the National Team. Sanel Kapidzic, who plays for Rapid Wien, in the Austrian Bundesliga, is a 24 year-old striker, who has 1 cap for the National Team. Youth Prospects Sanjin Prcic, who plays for Sunderland in the English Premier League, is a 20 year-old attacking midfielder, who has 2 caps for the National Team. Bahrudin Atajic, who plays for Wolverhampton Wanderers of the English Premier League, is a 20 year-old attacking midfielder, who has 1 cap for the National Team. Petar Kunic, who plays for Olimpik Sarajevo in the Adriatic Superleague, is a 20-year old striker, who has 1 cap for the National Team. Competitions For this season the team will play in the World Cup in Brazil, in which they were drawed in the Group C, alongside the Netherlands, Uruguay and Australia. During the second half of the season, the team will play in the UEFA Euro Qualifiers, and they were drawed in Group A, alongside Ireland, Romania, Israel, Kazakhstan and Andorra. Fixtures Season Review BiH | score = 1 - 1 | aet = | report = | squad = | team2 = Paraguay | goals1 = Zec | goals2 = I.González | stadium = Asim Ferhatović Hase Stadium, Sarajevo, Bosnia | attendance = 24,845 | referee = Michael Weiner (Germany) | penalties1 = | penaltyscore = | penalties2 = }} ---- Netherlands | score = 2 - 2 | aet = | report = | squad = | team2 = BiH | goals1 = Robben | goals2 = Pjanic Dzeko | stadium = Mineirão, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil | attendance = 69,950 | referee = Lee Mason (England) | penalties1 = | penaltyscore = | penalties2 = }} ---- BiH | score = 2 - 1 | aet = | report = | squad = | team2 = Uruguay | goals1 = Dzeko Besic | goals2 = A.Pereira Gargano | stadium = Maracanã, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil | attendance = 76,525 | referee = Andrea De Marco (Italy) | penalties1 = | penaltyscore = | penalties2 = }} ---- BiH | score = 5 - 1 | aet = | report = | squad = | team2 = Australia | goals1 = Zec Ibisevic | goals2 = Valeri | stadium = Estádio Nacional de Brasília, Brasilia, DF, Brazil | attendance = 71,000 | referee = Antonio Damato (Italy) | penalties1 = | penaltyscore = | penalties2 = }} ---- Bosnia and Herzegovina | score = 4 - 4 | aet = Yes | report = | squad = | team2 = Portugal | goals1 = Ibisevic Dzeko Vranjes | goals2 = Orlando Sá Cristiano Ronaldo | stadium = Mineirão, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil | attendance = 69,950 | referee = Manuel Gräfe (Germany) | penalties1 = Subasic Ibisevic Zec Begovic | penaltyscore = 2 - 4 | penalties2 = Cristiano Ronaldo Ricardo Costa Veloso Moutinho Meireles }} ---- Croatia | score = 1 - 2 | aet = | report = | squad = | team2 = BiH | goals1 = Badelj Rukavina | goals2 = Ibisevic | stadium = Stadion Maksimir, Zagreb, Croatia | attendance = 27,471 | referee = Darrell Reed (England) | penalties1 = | penaltyscore = | penalties2 = }} ---- BiH | score = 3 - 2 | aet = | report = | squad = | team2 = Saudi Arabia | goals1 = Edin Dzeko Ibisevic | goals2 = Al-Harthi Al-Jasim | stadium = Asim Ferhatović Hase Stadium, Sarajevo, Bosnia | attendance = 26,235 | referee = Morgan Hunt (England) | penalties1 = | penaltyscore = | penalties2 = }} ---- BiH | score = 7 - 1 | aet = | report = | squad = | team2 = Andorra | goals1 = Ibisevic Dzeko Stilic Cocalic | goals2 = González | stadium = Bilino Polje, Zenica, Bosnia | attendance = 18,000 | referee = Steve Tanner (England) | penalties1 = | penaltyscore = | penalties2 = }} ---- Ireland | score = 0 - 1 | aet = | report = | squad = | team2 = BiH | goals1 = | goals2 = Clark | stadium = Aviva Stadium, Dublin, Ireland | attendance = 46,612 | referee = Igor Yegorov (Russia) | penalties1 = | penaltyscore = | penalties2 = }} ---- BiH | score = 2 - 0 | aet = | report = | squad = | team2 = Romania | goals1 = Pjanic Ibisevic | goals2 = | stadium = Asim Ferhatović Hase Stadium, Sarajevo, Bosnia | attendance = 33,867 | referee = Slavko Kauric (Croatia) | penalties1 = | penaltyscore = | penalties2 = }} ---- BiH | score = 4 - 1 | aet = | report = | squad = | team2 = Nigeria | goals1 = Pjanic Stilic Dzeko | goals2 = Yakubu | stadium = Asim Ferhatović Hase Stadium, Sarajevo, Bosnia | attendance = 26,251 | referee = Alberto Undiano Mallenco (Spain) | penalties1 = | penaltyscore = | penalties2 = }} Season Aftermath and Conclusions In a year that'll be remembered as the first year in which a Bosnian National Team played in an international competition, Bosnia and Herzegovina, has grown to an extent, where we're treated as favorites in most of the matches we play. The season kicked off with a preparatory match for the World Cup, facing Paraguay a South American rival, to prepare for the match against Uruguay. A 1-1 draw, where neither team wanted to risk the players too much. After that the teams' participation in the 2014 World Cup, which featured 2 ties and 2 victories, with 13 goals scored and 8 against. It was a very tough loss, as the team had one feet and a half in the semi-finals. Up 3-0 by 60 minutes, but then, Cristiano Ronaldo remembered how to play, and posted a hat-trick. After that upbeat but tough loss, Bosnia and Herzegovina returned to their country, leaving a great impression, in a great tournament behind, and with lots of hope for the future. The second half of the season started with a loss, the first loss in 12 matches (Bosnia completed 1 year unbeaten), against rival Croatia 2-1 as a visitor. Then another preparation match, against Saudi Arabia, a 3-2 victory. Then, the UEFA Euro Qualifiers kicked off and the Bosnians struck 3 victories, scoring 10 goals and only receiving one. Finally another Friendly, this time, against Nigeria, and the Bosnians dominated, with a 4-1 victory FIFA Ranking The team started the year, ranked at #6, after a couple of months the Bosnians occupied the #4 spot, breaking a record of the highest position in history. After the World Cup, the team returned to #6, where they stayed for the rest of the year. Best Players #Edin Dzeko was once again untreatable, he led all the scorers for a 6th season in a row, this time, scoring 13 goals in 10 matches. He missed one World Cup game, serving a yellow-card suspension. Rating: 8.05 #Vedad Ibisevic was the perfect sidekick for Dzeko's power. He scored 10 goals (a personal record) in 11 matches, and had a great World Cup. He added 5 assists. Rating: 7.54 #Miralem Pjanic had another great season, scoring 3 goals and adding 7 assists in 8 matches. He missed 2 matches of the World Cup, and things would have been a lot different had he been on the court. Rating: 7.34 #Sejad Salihovic was the orchestrator behind this beautiful symphony. He played 10 matches and had 8 assists, his passing was truly a joy to see. Rating: 7.18 #Muhamed Subasic was everpresent for the squad. The teams' captain, took the challenge seriously and completed a full year playing internationally, in 11 matches, had 4 assists. Rating: 7.13 Best Eleven Next Season Forecast The team should have a rather easy season, with the remainder of the UEFA Euro Qualifiers, which should be won (the group) with rather ease. 4 Friendlies are scheduled for the bye weeks, Ghana, Italy, Colombia and a rematch with Portugal.